Modular paint line and method of operation therefor

ABSTRACT

A paint line includes a plurality of modular manufacturing stations positioned in series and defining a forward transport direction. Each modular manufacturing station includes an article transportation device for moving at least one carrier through the modular manufacturing station. At least one of the modular manufacturing stations includes a piece of paint application equipment. A control system is in communication with each article transportation device and configured to independently move the carrier of each modular manufacturing station according to a unique operation pattern. The control system is also configured to index the carrier of each modular manufacturing station as the carrier traverses to a contiguous modular manufacturing station.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/151,881, filed May 9, 2008.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a paint line, and moreparticularly to a paint line having a plurality of modular manufacturingstations.

BACKGROUND

During a manufacturing process, a product is typically advanced througha plurality of manufacturing stations of a manufacturing chain.Specifically, the product is transported through each of themanufacturing stations along an article transportation device. At eachmanufacturing station, a specific one of a plurality of tasks in themanufacturing process is performed. All equipment and other componentsnecessary to perform the assigned task are positioned, and oftenpermanently affixed, at each manufacturing station. As a result, anddependent upon the number of tasks and the complexity of themanufacturing process, a manufacturing chain is typically a largestructure that is permanently situated inside a manufacturing facility.

At least partially as a result of its permanency, a manufacturing chainis typically inflexible, such that modifying, removing, or replacing themanufacturing chain may be an expensive and time-consuming process.Therefore, even minor improvements to the manufacturing process, suchas, for example, changes to the equipment positioned at onemanufacturing station, may be too expensive and time consuming toimplement. Further, if the manufacturing process performed by themanufacturing chain becomes unnecessary, it may not be feasible to alterthe manufacturing chain to perform a different manufacturing process.Ultimately, the manufacturing chain may only be cost effective inperforming the specific manufacturing process for which it was designed.As a result, the significant amount of costs and efforts to design andconstruct the manufacturing chain may be wasted.

Another drawback with conventional manufacturing chains involves thearticle transportation system along which the products are transported.Since the products are typically carried along one articletransportation device having a single driving source, such as a commonmonorail conveyor, the entire manufacturing chain must be stopped inorder to correct a problem occurring at any point along themanufacturing chain. Power and free conveyors offer one solution byallowing carriers to be routed off of the main line, such as if a defectis identified, but still provide continuous movement of the main line.In either case, stopping the main line can result in significant downtime and, therefore, reduced efficiency and, ultimately, throughput ofthe manufacturing chain. This may further increase process time formanufacturing processes that already require a significant amount oftime. For example, it is known that a drying or curing stage of a paintprocess may require a significant amount of time, thus greatlyincreasing the minimal process time for the manufacturing process.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,604 teaches a powder coating chain having aplurality of conveyors for transporting parts through a plurality ofprocessing areas. Specifically, each processing area includes a separatemotor driven conveyor, sensors for providing information on conditionswithin the processing area, and a control circuit coupled to both thesensors and an operator interface. A user may manipulate the operatorinterface to monitor sensed conditions within each processing area.Although the reference suggests an aspect of modularity that may offercertain limited benefits, it does not contemplate improvements to theoverall process flow within the manufacturing chain. In fact, thereference does not disclose modifications to the exemplary high-speedblank powder coating process, but rather seeks to quickly identify asource of a mechanical problem associated with the process. As should beappreciated, there is a continuing need for manufacturing chainsproviding improved quality and efficiency with respect to amanufacturing process. In addition, there is a continuing need formanufacturing chains, or manufacturing stations thereof, that may bemore easily modified, removed, or replaced.

The present disclosure is directed to one or more of the problems setforth above.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one aspect, a paint line includes a plurality of modularmanufacturing stations positioned in series and defining a forwardtransport direction. Each modular manufacturing station includes anarticle transportation device for moving at least one carrier throughthe modular manufacturing station. At least one of the modularmanufacturing stations includes a piece of paint application equipment.A control system is in communication with each article transportationdevice and configured to independently move the carrier of each modularmanufacturing station according to a unique operation pattern. Thecontrol system is also configured to index the carrier of each modularmanufacturing station as the carrier traverses to a contiguous modularmanufacturing station.

In another aspect, a method of modifying a paint line having a pluralityof modular manufacturing stations includes a step of adding a modularmanufacturing station to the paint line by interconnecting a pluralityof beams to form a skeleton. A utility transfer module supported by atleast one of the beams is connected to an other utility transfer moduleof a contiguous modular manufacturing station. An article transportationdevice is supported with at least one of the beams and connected to theutility transfer module.

In yet another aspect, a method for operating a paint line having aplurality of modular manufacturing stations includes a step of advancingat least one carrier from a beginning of the manufacturing chain to anend of the manufacturing chain along a transportation path in a forwardtransport direction. The advancing step includes independently moving afirst carrier of a first modular manufacturing station according to afirst unique operation pattern and a second carrier of a second modularmanufacturing station according to a second unique operation pattern.The advancing step also includes indexing the first and second carriersas each of the first and second carriers traverses to a contiguousmodular manufacturing station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a manufacturing chain,according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a manufacturing module ofthe manufacturing chain of FIG. 1, according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a side diagrammatic view of an alternative embodiment of themanufacturing module of FIG. 2, according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a side diagrammatic view of an alternative embodiment of themanufacturing module of FIG. 2 including a first vertical lift device,according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a side diagrammatic view of an alternative embodiment of themanufacturing module of FIG. 2 including a second vertical lift device,according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a control system foroperating the manufacturing chain of FIG. 1, according to the presentdisclosure; and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an alternative embodiment of a controlsystem for operating the manufacturing chain of FIG. 1, according to thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary embodiment of a manufacturing chain 10 is shown generallyin FIG. 1. The manufacturing chain 10 may be disposed within amanufacturing area 12, such as, for example, a manufacturing areadefined by a building 14. According to one embodiment, the manufacturingchain 10 may be secured to, and positioned above, a planar floor 16 ofthe manufacturing area 12. However, numerous locations and arrangementsare contemplated for the manufacturing chain 10. According to theexemplary embodiment, the manufacturing chain 10 may be used to performa paint process, such as, for example, a powder coating process, and,therefore, may also be referred to as a paint line. Although a paintprocess is described, however, it should be appreciated that themanufacturing chain 10 may be designed to perform any of a variety ofmanufacturing processes.

The manufacturing chain 10, also referred to as a modular manufacturingchain, may include several modular manufacturing stations, such thateach modular manufacturing station is configured to perform at least onetask in the manufacturing process. Specifically, and according to oneexample, the manufacturing chain 10 may include a wash station 18, ablow off station 20, an inspection station 22, a paint applicationstation 24, a curing station 26, and an unload station 28. Although sixmodular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 are shown, itshould be appreciated that the manufacturing chain 10 may include anynumber of modular manufacturing stations necessary to perform thedesignated manufacturing process. It should also be appreciated that thepaint process, as described herein, has been simplified for ease ofexplanation, and is in no way meant to be limited to the specific tasksdescribed.

The modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 may bepositioned in series, as shown, or the manufacturing chain 10 mayinclude one or more of the modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22,24, 26, and 28 positioned in parallel, as dictated by the specific tasksof the manufacturing process. Further, the modular manufacturingstations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 may include equipment, and othercomponents, necessary to accomplish the task to be performed at therespective one of the modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26,and 28. It should be appreciated that multiple tasks may be performed atone modular manufacturing station or, alternatively, a more complex taskmay be performed over a plurality of modular manufacturing stations.Ultimately, one or more tasks may be performed on an article, orproduct, as it is transported through the modular manufacturing stations18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 along an article transportation system 30,described later in greater detail.

The equipment and other components necessary to perform a task at arespective one of each of the modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22,24, 26, and 28 may be supported by a framework or, more specifically, amanufacturing module 32. For example, the manufacturing chain 10 mayinclude a plurality of manufacturing modules 32 positioned andconfigured to accommodate the modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22,24, 26, and 28. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the manufacturingmodules 32 may be positioned in series, as dictated by the modularmanufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28. However, the size andgeometry of the manufacturing chain 10, comprising the manufacturingmodules 32, may include any of a variety of possible sizes andconfigurations, such as, for example, an “L” shaped configuration or a“U” shaped configuration. Further, although FIG. 1 illustrates exactlyone of the modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28associated with each manufacturing module 32, it should be appreciatedthat each manufacturing module 32 may support more than one of themodular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28.

According to the exemplary embodiment, the wash station 18 may beconfigured to perform a wash and/or rinse task of the paint process.Specifically, the wash station 18 may include a water tank 34, supportedby the manufacturing module 32, for supplying water, or a solventmixture, to the wash station 18. Alternatively, however, water may besupplied directly to the wash station 18 from a utility infrastructureof the building 14 or, alternatively, from an external utilityconnection 36 disposed outside the manufacturing area 12 and connectedto the manufacturing chain 10 via a conduit 38. The external utilityconnection 36 may, therefore, include a source of water or,alternatively, may include a source of another utility, such as, forexample, electric power or data.

According to the current embodiment, the conduit 38 may provide water toa utility transfer module 40 supported by the manufacturing module 32.The utility transfer module 40 may be configured to transfer a utility,such as, for example, electric power, fluid, or data, through themanufacturing module 32. The utility may be used at the wash station 18and, further, may be transferred to a contiguous manufacturing module32. For example, each of the other manufacturing modules 32 may includeutility transfer modules 40, such that a utility may be supplied at onemanufacturing module 32 and used at another. Specifically, eachmanufacturing module 32 may receive a utility from a precedingmanufacturing module 32 of the manufacturing chain 10, and may transferthe utility to a succeeding manufacturing module 32.

The wash station 18 may further include a water pump 42 for circulatingthe water or solvent mixture through the wash station 18 and/orpressurizing the water or solvent mixture. According to one embodiment,the water or solvent mixture may be directed through a plurality ofwater nozzles 44, such that the water nozzles 44 are configured to sprayan article as it passes through the wash station 18 to remove anyforeign substances deposited on the article. Such foreign substances mayinclude, for example, grease, dirt, dust, oils, or any other substancesthat may interfere with the paint application process. The wash station18 may also include a plurality of water barrier panels 46 forpreventing the water or the solvent mixture from escaping the washstation 18, and a drain system for returning the used water or thesolvent mixture to the water tank 34. It should be appreciated that thewash station 18 may include any equipment useful in removing foreignsubstances from an article before paint, such as, for example, powderedpaint, is applied.

The blow off station 20 may be configured to remove any water or solventmixture remaining on the article after the article passes through thewash station 18. Specifically, the blow off station 20 may include a fan48, or pump, for pressurizing air and a plurality of air nozzles 50 fordirecting the pressurized air toward the article. Either or both of thefan 48 and air nozzles 50 may be supported by the manufacturing module32. Further, the blow off station 20 may include a hose (not shown)available to an operator for manually directing pressurized air towardthe article. According to one embodiment, pressurized air may beprovided via the utility transfer module 40. Specifically, pressurizedair may be supplied to the utility transfer module 40 directly from asource, or indirectly via the utility transfer module 40 of a contiguousmanufacturing module 32.

Air barrier panels 52, or walls, may also be provided at the blow offstation 20 for preventing pressurized air blown from the air nozzles 50from interfering with activities or equipment outside of the blow offstation 20. After the water or solvent mixture is sufficiently removedfrom the article at the blow off station 20, the article may betransported to the inspection station 22, which may provide a locationfor an operator 54 to inspect the article. The inspection may, forexample, involve visual, physical, or chemical analyses to determine thepresence of any remaining impurities on the surface of the article.

After inspection, the article may be transported along the articletransportation system 30 to the paint application station 24. The paintapplication station 24 may include a piece of paint applicationequipment 56 for coating the article with paint, such as, according toone example, a powdered paint. The paint application station 24 mayfurther include a plurality of paint barrier panels 58 for restrictingthe paint to the confines of the paint application station 24. Either orboth of the paint application equipment 56 and the paint barrier panels58 may be supported by the manufacturing module 32. Alternatively,however, the paint application equipment 56 and the paint barrier panels58 may be secured to the planar floor 16. As should be appreciated, theequipment used at the paint application station 24 may vary, dependingon the type of paint used and the application process that isimplemented. For example, the paint may be sprayed onto the article or,alternatively, the article may be immersed in a tank containing paint.

From the paint application station 24, the article may be transported tothe curing station 26. The curing station 26 may be configured to heator otherwise cure the coating of freshly applied paint. According to oneembodiment, the curing station 26 may include a plurality of infraredheaters 60, which may contain a plurality of infrared heater lamps 62for generating the heat necessary for causing the coating of paint onthe article to cure. According to one embodiment, the infrared heaters60 may be portable. For example, one or more sets of rollers 64 may beprovided to facilitate movement of the infrared heaters 60 from onelocation, such as a storage location, and into the illustrated positionrelative to the paint application station 24. It should be appreciatedthat “portable” equipment, as used herein, may refer to any equipment orcomponent that may not be characterized as a fixture or otherwisepermanently attached component. It should also be appreciated that anyequipment useful in making the coating of paint applied to the articlepermanent is contemplated for use at the curing station 26.

For simplicity, the exemplary paint process is described as having onepaint application station 24; however, it should be appreciated that apaint process may often include coating the article with multiplecoatings of paint. As a result, the manufacturing chain 10 may includeadditional paint applications stations 24 and, if necessary,manufacturing modules 32 to accommodate such a process. Ultimately,after the desired number of paint coatings are applied to the article,the article may be transported to the unload station 28. At the unloadstation 28, the article may be removed from the manufacturing chain 10or, more specifically, the article transportation system 30 by anoperator 66. After passing through the manufacturing chain 10, it iscontemplated that the article may be transported to anothermanufacturing chain for further processing, if desired. According to oneembodiment, the article may be routed to a buffer area before passing toanother manufacturing chain. Alternatively, the article may be taken toa storage location for storage, or to a transportation vehicle fordelivery to a customer.

Turning now to FIG. 2, an exemplary manufacturing module 32 forsupporting one or more of the modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22,24, 26, and 28 of FIG. 1 is shown in greater detail. Specifically, themanufacturing module 32 may consist of a plurality of beams, such astubular beams, forming a framework or skeleton 80. According to oneembodiment, the skeleton 80 may include a plurality of verticallyaligned support beams 82, 84, 86, and 88 attached to the planar floor 16using support plates 90, 92, 94, and 96, respectively. Although a boltedconnection is shown, it should be appreciated that the support beams 82,84, 86, and 88 and/or support plates 90, 92, 94, and 96 may be attachedto the planar floor 16 using any secure connection.

The vertically aligned support beams 82, 84, 86, and 88 may beinterconnected using a plurality of additional support beams, such ashorizontally aligned beams 98, 100, 102, and 104. The horizontallyaligned support beams 98, 100, 102, and 104 and vertically alignedsupport beams 82, 84, 86, and 88 may define an entry 106 and an exit 108of the manufacturing module 32, and may provide structural support forone or more modular manufacturing stations, such as the modularmanufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 of FIG. 1. As such,the support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 may befabricated from steel, carbon composites, or any other material known inthe art suitable for providing the desired support. According to oneembodiment, it may be desirable to utilize a relatively lightweightmaterial to ease the transport and/or construction of the manufacturingmodule 32.

Additionally, it may be desirable to allow for expansion and/orcontraction of one or more of the support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100,102, and 104. Such expansion and/or contraction may further ease thetransport and/or construction of the manufacturing module 32, and mayalso allow for a customized size and/or shape of each manufacturingmodule 32. For example, the desired size and/or shape of themanufacturing module 32 may depend upon a number of factors including,but not limited to, the number of modular manufacturing stations, suchas modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, disposedwithin the manufacturing module 32.

To facilitate adjustment, one or more of the support beams 82, 84, 86,88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 may include a hollow tubular portion and apiston portion. For example, vertically aligned support beam 82 is shownhaving a tubular portion 82 a and a piston portion 82 b. As should beappreciated, the piston portion 82 b may be slidably received within thetubular portion 82 a and locked at a desired length. Locking may beaccomplished using any known fastening devices, such as, for example,bolts, screw, pins, or spring-actuated bearings. Alternatively, however,each of the support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 may befabricated to various desired lengths, as dictated by the design of themanufacturing module 32. According to one embodiment, it may bedesirable to expand and/or contract only the vertically aligned supportbeams 82, 84, 86, and 88.

Although the support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 areillustrated as forming a cubic shape, they may, alternatively, bepositioned to form any shape conducive to the specific manufacturingprocess being performed. Additionally, the number of support beams 82,84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 utilized to form the skeleton 80 mayvary depending upon the shape of the manufacturing module 32. Thesupport beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 of the manufacturingmodule 32 may be secured together by mechanical fasteners, welds, or anyother devices known in the art that are used to secure components.Additionally, the skeleton 80 of the manufacturing module 32 may beattached to the framework of a contiguous manufacturing module 32 usingsimilar fasteners. Alternatively, however, the manufacturing module 32may be positioned adjacent a contiguous manufacturing module 32 and maynot be attached thereto. A “contiguous” manufacturing module, as usedherein, may refer to a manufacturing module, such as manufacturingmodule 32, positioned in close proximity to another manufacturingmodule, such as, for example, a preceding or succeeding manufacturingmodule in the manufacturing chain 10.

One or more of the support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104of the skeleton 80 may support the utility transfer module 40. Theutility transfer module 40 may be configured to transfer at least one ofelectric power, fluid, and data through the manufacturing module 32.Specifically, the utility transfer module 40 may transfer and/or provideelectric power, water, compressed air, gas, or other utilities to theone or more modular manufacturing stations, such as modularmanufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, supported by themanufacturing module 32. According to one embodiment the utilitytransfer module 40 may include a collection of wires, cables, or otherconduits capable of transferring one or more utilities.

The utility transfer module 40 may include an external port 110 forengaging an external utility connection, such as, for example, theexternal utility connection 36 of FIG. 1. Although the external utilityconnection 36 is positioned outside the building 14, it should beappreciated that the external utility connection 36 may be positionedwithin the building 14, such as within the manufacturing area 12.According to one embodiment, the external utility connection 36 includesa utility source, such as, for example, an electric power grid, agenerator, a battery, a compressed air tank, a hydraulic tank, and/or awater supply. It should be appreciated that the external utilityconnection 36 may include any source of a utility that is utilized bythe manufacturing chain 10. Accordingly, each utility transfer module 40may include multiple external ports 110, depending on the number ofutility sources to be engaged.

Each utility transfer module 40 may also include an entry port 112 forengaging a utility transfer module 40 of a preceding manufacturingmodule 32, and an exit port 114 for engaging a utility transfer module40 of a succeeding manufacturing module 32. It should be appreciatedthat the entry port 112 of the utility transfer module 40 of the firstmanufacturing module 32 in the manufacturing chain 10 may remain unusedand, similarly, the exit port 114 of utility transfer module 40 of thelast manufacturing module 32 may remain unused. Such ports, however, maybecome necessary, such as, for example, when an additional manufacturingmodule 32 is added to the manufacturing chain 10.

Additionally, the utility transfer module 40 may include one or moreequipment ports, such as a first equipment port 116, for providing autility to the one or more modular manufacturing stations, such as themodular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, of themanufacturing module 32. According to a more general example,manufacturing module 32 may support a first modular manufacturingstation 118 that is configured to perform at least one task of amanufacturing process. Accordingly, the first modular manufacturingstation 118 may include equipment, and other systems and/or components,necessary to accomplish the task to be performed. Specifically, andaccording to one example, the first modular manufacturing station 118may include a piece of manufacturing equipment 120, an articletransportation device 122 representing a portion of the articletransportation system 30 corresponding to the station 118, and a stationcontrol system 124. Although the manufacturing equipment 120 isexemplified as a plurality of air nozzles, similar to air nozzles 50, itshould be appreciated that any manufacturing equipment useful inperforming a manufacturing task is contemplated.

One or more of the manufacturing equipment 120, the articletransportation device 122, and the station control system 124 mayreceive utilities, such as electric power, fluid, and data, from theutility transfer module 40. For example, the manufacturing equipment 120may include a conduit 126 having a quick connect coupling member 128 forengaging the first equipment port 116. Similarly, the articletransportation device 122 may include a conduit 130 having a quickconnect coupling member 132 for engaging a second equipment port 134 ofthe utility transfer module 40. In addition, the station control system124 may include conduit 136 having a quick connect coupling member 138for engaging a third equipment port 140 of the utility transfer module40.

It should be appreciated that any of the ports or connections describedherein, such as, for example, ports 110, 112, 114, 116, 134, and 140,may embody electrical outlets, quick connect coupling members, or anyother known utility interfaces. In addition, each of the quick connectcoupling members 128, 132, and 138 may embody any appropriate utilityinterface for engaging one or more of the ports 110, 112, 114, 116, 134,and 140. It should also be appreciated that quick connect couplingmembers may enable relatively quick and easy assembly and/or disassemblyof the manufacturing stations, such as modular manufacturing stations18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, and/or first modular manufacturing station118. Additional benefits may be recognized by utilizing common, oruniversal, interfaces throughout the entire manufacturing chain 10.

According to one embodiment, the utility transfer module 40 may besecured to one of the support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and104, such as support beam 102, using one or more mounting devices 142.Mounting devices 142 may, for example, include hooks, latches, sockets,or any other devices capable of securing the utility transfer module 40to one or more of the support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and104. Alternatively, however, the utility transfer module 40 may bepositioned within a hollow portion, such as, for example, a centralportion, of one or more of the tubular support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98,100, 102, and 104. It should be appreciated that the utility transfermodule 40 may be supported by and/or secured to any number of thesupport beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104, as necessary totransfer a utility through and/or provide a utility to the manufacturingmodule 32.

Turning now to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of a manufacturingmodule 32 is shown. Specifically, one or more of the manufacturingmodules 32 may include a second modular manufacturing station 160disposed between the entry 106 and the exit 108 of the manufacturingmodule 32. The second modular manufacturing station 160 may includesimilar systems and/or components as the first modular manufacturingstation 118. Specifically, the second modular manufacturing station 160may include at least one piece of manufacturing equipment 120, anarticle transportation device 122 representing a portion of articletransportation system 30 corresponding to the second modularmanufacturing station 160, and a station control system 124.

It should be appreciated that each of the systems and/or components ofthe second modular manufacturing station 160 may also receive a utilityfrom the utility transfer module 40 in a manner similar to thatdescribed above. It should further be appreciated that either or both ofthe first and second modular manufacturing stations 118 and 160 may berepresentative of the modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26,and 28 of FIG. 1. Accordingly, each of the modular manufacturingstations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 may generally include one or more ofthe manufacturing equipment 120, article transportation device 122, andstation control system 124.

Each article transportation device 122 may include a friction drivesystem having one or more sets of carrier tracks, such as carrier tracks162, along which a carrier 164 may be transported. It should beappreciated that the one or more sets of carrier tracks 162 may define atransportation path 166 through a manufacturing chain, such as themanufacturing chain 10 of FIG. 1. Friction drive systems are known, andmay generally include one or more hanger rails 168 fixedly attached tothe skeleton 80 for supporting one or more support rails 170. At leastone of the support rails 170 may provide support for a drive shaft 172that may be mechanically coupled to a drive system 174.

The drive system 174 may, for example, include an electric, hydraulic,or pneumatic motor, and may further include a transmission and controls,as necessary, for driving the drive shaft 172 at a desired speed and ina desired direction. For example, the drive shaft 172 may be rotated ina first direction for frictionally engaging wheels of the carrier 164such that the carrier 164 is moved in a forward transport direction,represented by arrow “F”. Alternatively, however, the drive shaft 172may be rotated, by the drive system 174, in an opposite direction forfrictionally engaging wheels of the carrier 164 to move the carrier 164in a reverse transport direction “R” that is opposite the forwardtransport direction “F.” A similar friction drive system may be providedby OCS IntelliTrak, Incorporated of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Although a friction drive system is described, however, it should beappreciated that a variety of material handling systems may be used. Forexample, an air balancer, a series of hoists, an electrified monorail,or any other device capable of moving an article through themanufacturing chain 10 are also contemplated. Further, it should beappreciated that carriers, such as carriers 164, may include any devicescapable of gripping an article to be conveyed through the manufacturingchain 10. Exemplary carriers may, for example, include hooks, clamps,latches, or any other devices capable of temporarily grasping thearticle. Although a single carrier 164 is depicted for transporting anarticle, it should be appreciated that multiple carriers may benecessary for transporting the article, depending on the size and weightof the article.

It is also contemplated that the article transportation system 30 may besubstituted with a chain, belt, or any other device that may conveycarriers 164 through the manufacturing chain 10. According to oneembodiment, the article transportation system 30 may be mounted to theplanar floor 16 and/or contain a transport device, such as, for example,a conveyor belt to convey the article through the manufacturing chain10. Preferably, however, the article transportation devices 122 thatdefine the article transportation system 30 may each include at leastone drive system 174, or similar means, for facilitating independentmovement of the carrier 164 within the respective one of themanufacturing stations 118 and 160.

Each station control system 124 may be configured to control operationof at least one of the article transportation device 122 and themanufacturing equipment 120 of the respective one of the modularmanufacturing stations 118 and 160. Specifically, the station controlsystem 124 may be in communication with the article transportationdevice 122 or, more specifically, the drive system 174, and may beconfigured to issue an operation signal, such as, for example, a forwardsignal, a reverse signal, and a stop signal. The forward signal maycorrespond to the forward transport direction “F,” the reverse signalmay correspond to the reverse transport direction “R,” and the stopsignal may correspond to a stationary position. It should be appreciatedthat the stationary position may represent a state in which the carrier164 is not driven in either of the forward transport direction “F” orthe reverse transport direction “R”.

According to one embodiment, the carrier 164 of the first modularmanufacturing station 118 may be driven in the forward transportdirection “F” while the carrier 164 of the second modular manufacturingstation 160 is simultaneously driven in the reverse transport direction“R” or, alternatively, remains stationary. According to a specificexample, it may be desirable to move the carrier 164 of the secondmodular manufacturing station 160 in the reverse transport direction “R”relative to the manufacturing equipment 120. As should be appreciated,continuous forward and reverse movement relative to the manufacturingequipment 120 may prove beneficial in a variety of tasks of amanufacturing process, including, but not limited to, a wash task and ablow off task, as described above. According to an additional example,it may be desirable to stop the carrier 164 of the second modularmanufacturing station 160, such as in response to the identification ofa defect, while one or more other carriers 164 continue to move. Avariety of defects are contemplated, such as, for example, defectsresulting from process problems and/or equipment failures.

Each modular manufacturing station 118 and 160 may also include one ormore position tracking devices. According to one embodiment, a firstposition tracking device 176, a second position tracking device 178, anda third position tracking device 180 are each positioned for detecting aposition of the carrier 164 as it is transported through the station 118and 160. Position tracking devices 176, 178, and 180 are known, and mayinclude, for example, position sensors, proximity switches, bar codereaders, or any other devices capable of detecting a position of thecarrier 164. In addition, the position tracking devices 176, 178, and180 may be supported by the skeleton 80, the article transportationdevice 122, or may be otherwise positioned. Although three positiontracking devices 176, 178, and 180 are shown, it should be appreciatedthat any number of position tracking devices may be used, as dictated bythe manufacturing process.

Each station control system 124 may also be in communication with theposition tracking devices 176, 178, and 180, and may receive signalsfrom one or more of the position tracking devices 176, 178, and 180 thatare indicative of first, second, and third detected positions of thecarrier 164. Each station control system 124 may also be configured toissue one or more operation signals, such as, for example, the forwardsignal, reverse signal, and stop signal, to the article transportationdevice 122 based, at least in part, on one of the detected carrierpositions. According to one example, it may be desirable for the stationcontrol system 124 to issue the stop signal to the articletransportation device 122 when the carrier 164 has reached apredetermined position relative to the manufacturing equipment 120.After a predetermined period of time, for example, the station controlsystem 124 may then issue the forward signal to the articletransportation device 122. Further, the station control system 124 mayissue one or more operation signals to the manufacturing equipment 120based, at least in part, on one of the detected carrier positions.

Turning now to FIG. 4, an alternative embodiment of a manufacturingmodule 32 is shown. Specifically, the transportation path 166 defined bythe carrier tracks 162 may include a vertical discontinuity 200. Itshould be appreciated that, according to one example, the verticaldiscontinuity 200 may occur where the transportation path 166 includes afirst transport height 202 that is vertically spaced from a secondtransport height 204. Specifically, the two sets of carrier tracks 162of the first modular manufacturing station 118 may be positioned at thefirst transport height 202, while the carrier tracks 162 of the secondmodular manufacturing station 160 are positioned at the second transportheight 204. Such a discontinuity along the transportation path 166 mayoccur as a result of the design of the manufacturing chain 10, asdictated by a topography of the manufacturing area 12 or a variety ofother factors. Additionally, it may be desirable to alter the height ofthe transportation path 166 relative to the manufacturing equipment 120.

A first vertical lift device 206 may be provided for moving one of thesets of carrier tracks 162 in a vertical direction relative to thetransportation path 166. Specifically, the first vertical lift device206 may be configured to move one of the sets of carrier tracks 162,adjacent the vertical discontinuity 200, from the first transport height202 to the second transport height 204. Vertical lift devices, such asvertical lift device 206, are known, and may include, for example,electric or pneumatic lifts, and, as such, may receive any necessaryutilities from the utility transfer module 40. In addition, the firstvertical lift device 206 may be supported by and/or secured to theskeleton 80 of the manufacturing module 32.

A control system, such as, for example, the station control system 124,may also be provided for controlling operation of the first verticallift device 206. Specifically, and according to one embodiment, thestation control system 124 may also be in communication with the firstvertical lift device 206, and may be configured to issue operationsignals thereto, such as, for example, a raise signal and a lowersignal. For example, the first vertical lift device 206 may beconfigured to move the carrier tracks 162 from the first transportheight 202 to the second transport height 204 in response to the raisesignal. In addition, the first vertical lift device 206 may beconfigured to move the carrier tracks 162 from the second transportheight 204 to the first transport height 202 in response to the lowersignal.

Further, the station control system 124 may be configured to issue theraise signal and/or the lower signal in response to a carrier positionthat is detected by one of the position tracking devices 176, 178, and180. Specifically, and according to one example, it may be desirable toissue the raise signal when it is determined that the carrier 164 hasreached a predetermined position relative to the carrier tracks 162.After the carrier tracks 162 have been raised, the carrier 164 maycontinue to be transported along the transportation path 168 at thesecond transport height 204, such as by the drive system 174.

The transportation path 168 may include additional verticaldiscontinuities, such as, for example, a second vertical discontinuity210, shown in FIG. 5. A second vertical lift device 212, similar tofirst vertical lift device 206, may, therefore, be provided to advancethe carrier 164 through the second vertical discontinuity 210.Specifically, the second vertical lift device 212 may move the carriertracks 162 from the second transport height 204 to the first transportheight 202, such as in response to the lower signal issued from thestation control system 124. It should be appreciated that the stationcontrol system 124 may issue the lower signal in response to a carrierposition detected by one of the position tracking devices 176, 178, and180. It should also be appreciated that any number of vertical liftdevices, such as lift devices 206 and 212 that may be manually orautomatically operated, may be used throughout the manufacturing chain10 to accommodate vertical discontinuities and/or to move one of thecarriers 164 in a vertical direction relative to the manufacturingequipment 120.

According to one embodiment, it may be desirable to incorporate one ormore vertical lift devices, such as the lift devices 206 and 212, intothe manufacturing chain 10 to accommodate manufacturing equipment 120positioned above the planar floor 16. Specifically, the manufacturingchain 10 may include one or more pieces of manufacturing equipment 120that traditionally were positioned below the planar floor 16, such as,for example, tanks or baths. For ease of deployment, the manufacturingchain 10 may position all equipment 120, including such tanks or baths,above ground and, therefore, may advance the carriers 164 through themanufacturing chain 10 and relative to the manufacturing equipment 120using one or more vertical lift devices 206 and 212.

It should be appreciated that utilizing an article transportation device122 having at least one of reverse, stop, and lift capabilities mayallow a decrease in size and/or output capacity of the manufacturingequipment 120. For example, a conventional curing station may require arelatively large infrared heater capable of generating a large amount ofheat. Specifically, the infrared heater may be sized to adequately curea coating of paint on an article as it passes through the curing stationat a speed equal to an overall line speed. However, the articletransportation device 120, as described herein, may stop and/or reversethe article as it passes through the curing station 26. Therefore, themanufacturing equipment 120 or, more specifically, the infrared heatersused therein may have a lower heat output requirement. As a result,significant cost savings relative to the manufacturing equipment 120 maybe recognized.

An exemplary control system 220 for the manufacturing chain 10 is showngenerally in FIG. 6. Specifically, the control system 220 may includethe station control systems 124 of each modular manufacturing stationwithin the manufacturing chain 10, such as the modular manufacturingstations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28. It should be appreciated that themodular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 of FIG. 1 mayinclude configurations similar to any of the embodiments of the firstand second modular manufacturing stations 118 and 160 of FIGS. 2-5.Specifically, the manufacturing modules 32 of the manufacturing chain10, as shown in FIG. 1, may each include one or more of the modularmanufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, as dictated by themanufacturing process to be performed.

The station control systems 124 may include any commercially availablemicroprocessors that include means for controlling the operation of atleast one of the article transportation device 122 and the manufacturingequipment 120 of the respective manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24,26, and 28. Generally, each station control system 124 may include aprocessor 222, a memory 224, and any other components for running anapplication. Various circuits may also be associated with the stationcontrol systems 124, such as utility supply circuitry, signalconditioning circuitry, and any other types of circuitry needed for theoperation of the respective manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26,and 28.

The station control systems 124 may each receive input from an operatorinterface 226, and may control and/or override the operation of thearticle transportation device 122 and/or manufacturing equipment 120 ofthe respective manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 inresponse to the input. As should be appreciated, the operator interface226 may receive an operator input command that is indicative of adesired operation. Accordingly, the operator interface 226 may include atouch screen, keyboard, control panel, or any other device or mechanismcapable of facilitating communication between the operator and thestation control systems 124. It is also contemplated that the inputcould alternatively be a computer-generated command from an automatedsystem that assists the operator, or an autonomous system that operatesin place of the operator.

According to one embodiment, the memory 224 of each station controlsystem 124 may include a unique operation pattern corresponding to aspecific task stored thereon. For example, the unique operation patternmay include one or more operation signals to be transmitted to at leastone of the article transportation device 122 and the manufacturingequipment 120 via at least one communications conduit 228. Suchoperation signals may, for example, include the forward signal, thereverse signal, and the stop signal, as described above. In addition,the raise signal and the lower signal may be issued to an articletransportation device 122 that includes a vertical lift device, such asvertical lift devices 206 and 212. Further, operation signals, such as,for example, a begin operation signal and a stop operation signal thatmay, intuitively, start or stop operation of the manufacturing equipment120, may also be issued. It should be appreciated that a “uniqueoperation pattern,” as used herein, may generally refer to any sequenceor pattern of movements or operations that facilitate the performance ofa task, including such parameters as speed and direction of travel.

Each of the station control systems 124 may issue an operation signal,as describe above, in response to an operator input or, alternatively,automatically and according to a predetermined pattern, such ascorresponding to the unique operation pattern stored thereon. Accordingto one embodiment, the station control systems 124 may be incommunication with the position tracking devices 176, 178, and 180 viathe communications conduit 228, and may be configured to receive signalsindicative of detected carrier positions. The station control systems124 may also be configured to issue at least one of the operationsignals corresponding to the unique operation pattern, based, at leastin part, on one or more of the detected carrier positions.

A main control system 230 may be provided for coordinating operation ofthe station control systems 124 of each modular manufacturing station18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28. Alternatively, however, one of the stationcontrol systems 124 may be designated a master control system forcoordinating operation of the manufacturing chain 10. The main controlsystem 230 may be of standard design and may generally include aprocessor 232, such as, for example, a central processing unit, a memory234, and an input/output circuit, such as the communications conduit228. It should be appreciated that the communications conduit 228, asreferenced herein, may represent any form of wired and/or wirelesscommunications, and may generally represent the transmission of any ofthe operation signals and/or positions signals described above.According to one embodiment, one or more data communications may betransmitted via the utility transfer modules 40.

The processor 232 may control operation of the main control system 230by executing operating instructions, such as, for example, programmingcode stored in the memory 234, wherein operations may be initiatedinternally or externally to the main control system 230. As should beappreciated, a control scheme may be utilized that monitors outputs ofthe systems and/or components of each modular manufacturing station 18,20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, such as, for example, sensors, actuators, orcontrol units, via the communications conduit 228. Such information may,for example, be used to control inputs to the station control systems124 and/or other systems and components of the each of the modularmanufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28.

According to one example, the memory 234 of the main control system 230may store a plurality of unique operation patterns thereon. The maincontrol system 230 may receive signals indicative of the first, second,and third detected carrier positions from each of the station controlsystems 124. In response, the main control system 230 may independentlytransmit operation signals, such as operation signals corresponding toone of the unique operation patterns, to each of the station controlsystems 124. The station control systems 124 may, in turn, transmit theoperation signals to the article transportation device 122 and/or themanufacturing equipment 120 at the respective stations 18, 20, 22, 24,26, and 28.

The main control system 230 may also index the carriers 164 of eachmodular manufacturing station 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 as each carrier164 traverses to a contiguous station 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28.According to one embodiment, the main control system 230 maysimultaneously issue an index signal to the station control systems 124of each modular manufacturing station 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28. Assuch, the processors 222 of each station control system 124 may beconfigured to await and/or anticipate the index signal from the maincontrol system 230 after the task to be performed at the respectivestation has been completed.

According to one example, indexing may include detecting a desiredposition of the carrier 164 within each station 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and28, such as by using one or more of the position tracking devices 176,178, and 180. The main control system 230 may be configured to awaitsignals from each modular manufacturing station 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and28 that are indicative of the desired position and then simultaneouslytransfer each carrier 164 to a contiguous station 18, 20, 22, 24, 26,and 28. Additional operation signals, therefore, may also be useful forindexing, such as, for example, the stop signal, a speed adjust signal,a transfer signal, or any other signal useful for detecting andtransferring the carriers 164.

By coordinating operation of the entire manufacturing chain 10, the maincontrol system 230 may receive a carrier position signal from onemodular manufacturing station and issue an operation signal to anothermanufacturing stations based, at least in part, on that carrier positionsignal. For example, it may be desirable to transfer the carrier 164 ofmodular manufacturing station 18 only when the carrier 164 of themodular manufacturing station 20 has reached a predetermined position,such as a position detected by one or more of the position trackingdevices 176, 178, and 180. It should be appreciated that the maincontrol system 230 may utilize position signals from all of the positiontracking devices 176, 178, and 180, at least in part, to coordinateoperation of the entire manufacturing chain 10.

The main control system 230 may also include an operator interface, suchas an interactive operator display 236, for continuously monitoringand/or controlling operation of each modular manufacturing station 18,20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 of the manufacturing chain 10. According to oneembodiment, the interactive operator display 236 may be used tocontinuously monitor a status of each article transportation device 122of the manufacturing chain 10. Further, the interactive operator display236 may be configured to display a real-time visual representation ofeach carrier 164 being transported through the manufacturing chain 10.The interactive operator display 236 may also be configured to receivean operator input command from an operator and transmit the operatorinput command to the article transportation device 122 or themanufacturing equipment 120 of at least one of the modular manufacturingstations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28.

It should be appreciated that numerous applications and configurationsof the control system 220 are contemplated. According to one embodiment,the main control system 230, station control systems 124, positiontracking devices 176, 178, and 180, article transportation devices 122and manufacturing equipment 120 may all be interconnected through alocal area network, as shown in FIG. 7. As such, the main control system230 may directly communicate with the systems and/or components of eachmodular manufacturing station 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, and,therefore, may not direct communications, including operation signals,through the station control systems 124. Similarly, position signals maybe communicated directly from the position tracking devices 176, 178,and 180 to the main control system 230.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The manufacturing chain 10 of the present disclosure may provide aportable and flexible manufacturing chain that supports an improvedmanufacturing process. Specifically, the manufacturing chain 10 includesmanufacturing modules 32 that may be relatively quickly and easilytransported and deployed. In addition, modular manufacturing stations18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 may be readily added to and/or removed fromthe modules 32 of the manufacturing chain 10. Further, the articletransportation system 30, and method of operation thereof, may allowindependent process control at each modular manufacturing station 18,20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 and, therefore, may provide improved efficiencywith respect to the manufacturing process. Although a paint process isdescribed, it should be appreciated that the manufacturing chain 10, asdescribed herein, may be used to perform any of a variety ofmanufacturing processes.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-7, the manufacturing chain 10, such as,for example, a paint line, may be deployed by erecting a plurality ofmanufacturing modules 32, as needed. Specifically, a plurality ofsupport beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 may be secured tothe planar floor 16 of a manufacturing area 12 and may be interconnectedto provide a framework or skeleton 80. One or more of the support beamssupport beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 may be capable ofexpansion and/or contraction to further ease the transport and/ordeployment of each manufacturing module 32. The skeleton 80 may providestructural support for one or more modular manufacturing stations, suchas, for example, the first modular manufacturing station 118 and thesecond modular manufacturing station 160 and/or the modularmanufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28. Further, the skeletonmay include pre-constructed utilities, namely a utility transfer module40, supported by one or more of the support beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98,100, 102, and 104.

Each modular manufacturing station, such as stations 118 and 160, mayinclude at least one piece of manufacturing equipment 120, an articletransportation device 122 representing a portion of the articletransportation system 30 corresponding to the respective station, and astation control system 124. It should be appreciated that themanufacturing equipment 120 may be positioned above the planar floor 16and may be portable to facilitate movement of the equipment 120 from onelocation, such as a storage location, and into an operable positionrelative to the station. The manufacturing equipment 120, as well as thearticle transportation device 122, the station control system 124, andvarious other systems and/or components of each station 118 and 160 mayreceive one or more utilities from the utility transfer module 40.

It should be appreciated that modifying the manufacturing chain 10, suchas adding or removing a modular manufacturing station may also beaccomplished with relative ease. Specifically, a modular manufacturingstation, similar to manufacturing stations 116 and 180, may be added tothe manufacturing chain 10 by interconnecting a plurality of beams 82,84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104 to form a skeleton 80. The skeleton 80may be connected to or, alternatively, positioned adjacent a contiguousmanufacturing module 32. A utility transfer module 40, which may besupported by one of the beams 82, 84, 86, 88, 98, 100, 102, and 104, maybe connected to a utility transfer module 40 of the contiguousmanufacturing module 32 to provide utilities to the added manufacturingstation.

One or more of an article transportation device 122, a piece ofmanufacturing equipment 120, and a station control system 124 may besupported by the skeleton 80, or otherwise positioned within an operabledistance of the added manufacturing station. In addition, one or more ofthe article transportation device 122, the manufacturing equipment 120,and the station control system 124 may be connected to the utilitytransfer module 40 to receive one or more utilities therefrom, such asusing quick connect coupling members, as described above.

Operation of the manufacturing chain 10 may be controlled and/orcoordinated using the control system 220. Specifically, one or more ofthe main control system 230 and the station control systems 124 may beconfigured to advance at least one carrier 164 from a beginning of themanufacturing chain 10 to an end of the manufacturing chain 10, such asin the forward transport direction “F.” This advancement, according to aspecific example, may include independently moving a carrier 164 of thefirst modular manufacturing station 118 according to a first uniqueoperation pattern and a carrier 164 of the second modular manufacturingstation 160 according to a second unique operation pattern. According toone embodiment, the first unique operation pattern may include theforward transport direction “F” and the reverse transport direction “R.”The second unique operation pattern may, for example, include moving thecarrier 164 in the vertical direction relative to the transportationpath 166, such as by raising and/or lowering the carrier 164.

The memory 234 of the main control system 230 may store the first andsecond unique operation patterns for controlling operation of the firstand second modular manufacturing stations 118 and 160, respectively,thereon. The first position tracking devices 176 of each modularmanufacturing station 118 and 160 may detect a first position of eachcarrier 164 as it is transported through the respective one of themanufacturing stations 118 and 160, and transmit first position signalsto the main control system 230. It should be appreciated that any of theoperation signals, including position signals, may be transmittedthrough the station control systems 124.

The processor 232 of the main control system 230 may be configured toindependently transmit an operation signal corresponding to each of thefirst and second unique operation patterns to the respective one of themanufacturing stations 118 and 160 based, at least in part, on thedetected first positions. For example, the processor 232 mayindependently transmit one or more operation signals, such as, forexample, the forward signal, to each article transportation device 122upon detecting that each carrier 164 is entering the respective one ofthe modular manufacturing stations 118 and 160. Similarly, the processor232 may be configured to independently transmit one or more operationsignals to the manufacturing equipment 120 based, at least in part, onthe detected first positions.

In addition, the second position tracking devices 178 and the thirdposition tracking devices 180 of the manufacturing stations 118 and 160may detect second and third positions, respectively, and transmit secondand third position signals to the main control system 230, such asthrough the station control systems 124. The processor 232 may also beconfigured to independently transmit an operation signal correspondingto each of the first and second unique operation patterns to therespective one of the manufacturing stations 118 and 160 based, at leastin part, on one of the detected second and third positions. Similarly,the processor 232 may be configured to independently transmit one ormore operation signals to the manufacturing equipment 120 based, atleast in part, on one of the detected second and third positions.

For example, the processor 232 may be configured to transmit the reversesignal to the article transportation device 122 of the first modularmanufacturing station 118 upon detecting that the carrier 164 hasreached a predetermined position relative to the manufacturing equipment120. Similarly, the processor 232 may be configured to transmit thelower signal to the article transportation device 122, or secondvertical lift device 212, of the second modular manufacturing station160 upon detecting that the carrier 164 has reached a predeterminedposition relative to the manufacturing equipment 120. Determining thatthe carrier 164 has reached the predetermined position, in eitherexample, may be based, at least in part, on one of the second and thirdposition signals.

In addition, the processor 232 of the main control system 230 may beconfigured to index the carriers 164 of each modular manufacturingstation 118 and 160 as each carrier 164 traverses to a contiguousmanufacturing station. Indexing may, for example, include detecting oneof the second and third positions, as described above, of each carrier164 and simultaneously transferring each carrier 164 to a contiguousmanufacturing station.

It should be appreciated that manufacturing chain 10, including aplurality of modular manufacturing stations 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28,as described herein, may be deployed and/or modified with relative ease.Each modular manufacturing station 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28, asfurther exemplified by first and second modular manufacturing stations118 and 160, is characterized as having a separate articletransportation device 122 that allows each carrier 164 to moveindependently through the respective station. The control system 220coordinates the independent movements occurring at each station 18, 20,22, 24, 26, and 28 and synchronizes the transfer of each carrier 164 toa contiguous one of the modular manufacturing stations to define oneoverlying process flow for the manufacturing chain 10.

It should be understood that the above description is intended forillustrative purposes only, and is not intended to limit the scope ofthe present disclosure in any way. Thus, those skilled in the art willappreciate that other aspects of the disclosure can be obtained from astudy of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.

1. A method for operating a paint line having a plurality of modularmanufacturing stations, comprising: advancing at least one carrier froma beginning of the paint line to an end of the paint line along atransportation path in a forward transport direction; and wherein theadvancing step includes independently moving a first carrier of a firstmodular manufacturing station according to a first unique operationpattern relative to a piece of paint application equipment and a secondcarrier of a second modular manufacturing station according to a secondunique operation pattern, and indexing the first and second carriers aseach of the first and second carriers traverses to a contiguous modularmanufacturing station.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofindependently moving the first carrier includes moving the first carrierin the forward transport direction and moving the first carrier in areverse transport direction that is opposite the forward transportdirection.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of independentlymoving the first carrier includes moving the first carrier in a verticaldirection relative to the transportation path.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the indexing step includes detecting a position of the firstcarrier and detecting a position of the second carrier.
 5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the indexing step further includes simultaneouslytransferring the first carrier to the second modular manufacturingstation, and transferring the second carrier to a third modularmanufacturing station.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the advancingstep includes detecting a position of the first carrier and initiatingmovement of the first carrier according to the first unique operationpattern responsive to the detected position.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein the step of independently moving the first carrier includestransmitting a control signal from a main control system to a stationcontrol system of the first modular manufacturing station, andtransmitting the control signal from the station control system to anarticle transportation device of the first modular manufacturingstation.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of independentlymoving the first carrier further includes moving the first carrier usingan independent drive system of the article transportation device inresponse to the control signal.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein thestep of independently moving the first carrier further includessupporting the first carrier on a trolley, and supporting the trolley onan independent carrier track of the article transportation device. 10.The method of claim 9, wherein the step of independently moving thefirst carrier further includes frictionally engaging the trolley with aspinning drive tube of the article transportation device, and rotatingthe spinning drive tube with the independent drive system.